Charles peters



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

O. PETERS. 00m FREED APPARATUS.

No. 587,326. Patented Aug.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. 0 PETERS com FREED APPARATUS.

Patented Aug. 3, 1897.

[rm/ENT R EWYZW WITNESEH I UNITED STATES CHARLES PETERS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

COlN-FREED APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,326, dated August 3, 1897.

Application filed anua y 11,1897. Serial No. 618,820. (No model.) Patented in England August 29, 1896, No. 19,119.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES PETERS, a subject of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, residing at the Vale of Health Tavern, Hampstead Heath, London, N. England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in (Join-Freed Apparatus, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 19,119, dated August 29, 1896,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a coin-freed apparatus or device to be fixed wherever desired for the lock-up protection of bicycles, tricycles, and other velocipedes, perainbulators, trucks, carts, and other vehicles, and horses and other animals, as a means for protecting the same from being stolen or otherwise removed during the temporary absence of the owner.

My invention is intended for use, singly or in multiple, outside of or in any convenient place adjacent to wayside taverns, clubhouses, or other places which are the resort of cyclists, as a means by which each rider may upon alighting from his or her machine quickly and easily place the same in lock-up protection during his or her absence, which upon his or her return can be as quickly released by the insertion of a given coin or coins, the said apparatus being preferably so arranged that the said insertion of the coin or coins may close an electric circuit operating upon a bell or other sonorous signal and so give notice of the removal of the machine.

My invention may also be employed in like manner at wayside taverns or inns that pro vide a pull-up and baiting accommodation for horses and traps as a means for holding the heads of the horses while feeding for preventing the running away of these during the absence of the drivers or riders or the hostler in charge, or my invention may be aifixed to private or other houses for retaining perambulators, mail-carts, and the like while temporarily out of use as a means for preventing them from being stolen.

In order that my said invention and the manner of its use may be fully understood I have hereunto appended a sheet of drawings, of which- Figures 1, 2, and 3 are side elevations of the said apparatus (with one side entirely removed) substantially as I prefer to construct the same, (subject to certain modifications of details, as hereinafter explained,) illustrating the positions of the same before use, in use, and after use, respectively. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of same. Fig. 5 is a front view of the sliding plate detached from the apparatus. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detached view of the locking-bolt, while Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the rocking lever and the plate shown in Fig. 5.

For the purposes of my invention I construct of any dimensions of wood, metal, or other suitable material a preferably rectangular frame or case A, one side of which may be permanently closed by a panel B, while its opposite side may be closed by a like panel or door (not shown) hinged thereto or screwed thereon, as indicated by the holes a in Fig. l, or otherwise fixed so as to be easily removed to facilitate repairs to the mechanism inolosed thereby and for the periodical removal of the coins deposited therein. I prefer to screw, bolt, or otherwise fix within the said case a rectangular metallic plate 0, having a vertical side flange D and bottom flange E, the former of which fits close up against the front A of the frame A, and through this and the said front A is bored or otherwise provided a circular hole F. Upon the inner face of the flange D are studs or projections 12, which engage loosely with slots 0 in a plate G, so that the latter may freely slide vertically thereon for a distance governed by the length of the said slots. The plate G is provided with a third slot d, which engages one end of a lever H, pivotally mounted upon a stud or red f, the opposite end of the said lever being formed in the shape of or has affixed thereto a scoop J, shaped substantially as shown by the enlarged view, Fig. 7. Upon the flange E is fixed a spring or spring-plate K, the normal position of which is vertical or thereabout, as shown at Fig. 1, and while in this positionthe shorter end of the lever H rests upon the upper end of K by the weight of the sliding plate G, the weight of the said plate being adjustable by the means of a weight or weights, such as g, or a spring or springs in lieu of such weight or weights, the lower end of G, while thus suspended upon the so-supported lever H, being slightly above the level of the upper surface of the hole F in A and D, as shown in Fig. 1.

A metallic or other plugL (shown enlarged at Fig. 6) is arranged to fit and freely enter the hole F, the said plug being connected by a chain or the like Zto an eye or loop on, fixed upon the front A, anywhere adjacent to the hole F, and when not in use the said plug may be suspended upon a hook n, also fixed in any convenient position upon the front A, as shown in Figs. 1 and I.

In the upper end of the front A is a slot M, Fig. l, capable of receiving and passing a penny or other coin, and communicating with said slot upon the inner surface of A is a chute N, the angle of which is such as to permit the said coins to roll freely therealong into the scoop J, the said chute being bent or curved at p for the purpose of imparting impetus to the fall of the coin or coins.

The apparatus is constructed tobe adapted for insertion within or without through a wall, with the front A upon its outer surface; but when more convenient I may arrange that this may be fixed upon a wall or other vertical surface with the panel 13 next thereto, or, if desirable, I mayemployanynumber of the said apparatus or arrange one large case or frame A so as to contain any number of the said apparatus placed side by side, while one long rodfmayserve for the suspension of all the levers II thereon, in which case I may arrange that all the apparatus or the case or frame containing the multiple apparatus may stand upon a suitable bracket or shelf or otherwise, as may be most convenient.

The manner of operation is as follows, in which for brevity I have assumed that a bicycle is the article to be protected:

The rider upon alighting would remove the plug L from the hook a and, passing this through the frame of the machine or between the spokes of one of its wheels, would place the said plug in the hole F and push it there into until its inner end abutted against and deflected the spring or sprin -plate K, as at Fig. 2, the removal of which Irom its vertical position would permit the shorter end of the lever [I to fall and a recess Sin the lower end of the plate G to engage with the annulargroove it in the plug L, as shown in the same figure and more graphically by the enlarged view, Fig. 6, thus locking the bolt L and preventing the withdrawal of same. If the proprietor of the apparatus stipulates that one, two, or more pennies shall be paid for the thus safe custody of the machine, such weights g would be used that the lever II could not be actuated until such coin or coins had been placed in the slot )I, and upon the insertion of this or these and the fall of the same into the scoop J this end of the lever II would fall and the coins be slid into the case A, or into a box or the like placed therein for receiving the same, and this movement of the lever II would raise the plate G out of contact with the plug L, which would be instantly shot out or partly out by the tension of the spring or spring-plate K, as this returned to its vertical position, and the scoop .I, when the coins had fallen therefrom, would rise and permit the lever II and plate G to resume their normal positions, as at Fig. 1, and the cyclist by entirely removing the plug L from F could release his machine and hang the plug up on the hook it ready for use again.

In order that no person other than the rightful owner may surreptitiously remove the cycle by the insertion of a coin or coins, as stated, I provide in any convenient position within the case A any suitable form of electrical battery 1 one terminal of which may be connected to a spring It, lixedimmediately below the scoop J, the slightimpetus given to the said scoop by the deposit of the coin or coins, as stated, causing this to deflect R and cause this to make contact with a second spring S, as shown at Fig. 3, the said spring S being connected to awire leading to a bell or the like coupled up to the battery P in the usual way, and by this means the removal of the said machine would be made known wherever the bell may be located.

In order that awire or cane may not be inserted in the chute N for deflecting the scoop J instead of by the insertion of a coin or coins, as stated, in fraud of the proprietor of the apparatus, I provide in the chute N, in the bond 1), a slit or hole if, so that if a cane or wire it be inserted down N this, instead of being bent or curved by the chute 3., would pass idly through the said slit or hole, as shown in Fig. 3.

I may under certain circumstances arrange the chute N and slot M at the opposite side of the case, so that although the cyclist may lock his 01' her machine in the manner stated outside the house he or she must come into the house to deposit his or her coin or coins before the machine can be released, and this arrangement I may adopt when the said apparatus is constructed in multiple, as hereinbefore provided.

I may also so construct the apparatus as to dispense with the flanged plate 0 D E, in which case the studs or projections 1) maybe fixed upon the inner face of the front A, so that the plate G may slide thereon in the manner described, while the spring or springplate K may be fixed to the frame A and the stud or rodf to the panel B.

IIavin g now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. In combination in a coin-freed apparatus the casin g having an opening, a plug adapted to be inserted therein, the movable loekingplate within the casing adapted to engage and hold the plug, and a tilting coin-leveradapted to receive the coin at one end and connected at its opposite end with the locking-plate to retract the same from engagement with the plug under the weight of the coin, substantially as described.

2. In combinationjn a coin-freed apparatus, the casing, the locking device therein, the coin -lever connected therewith, means for holding the locking device normally retracted, said device being arranged to release the looking device upon the insertion of connections leading from the article to be held and the said coin-lever being arranged to receive the coin and thus retract the locking device, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the casing, the locking device therein to engage the connection leading to the article to be held when said connection is inserted therein, a coin-lever for retracting said locking device to free said connection and the ejecting device for discharging said connection when released, substantially as described.

l. In combination, the casing, the lockingplate therein, the plug L adapted for insertion into the casin g to be engaged by the locking-plate, the coin-lever for retracting the locking-plate, the spring-plate K adapted to hold the coin-lever and locking-plate normally retracted, the said spring-plate serving to eject the plug when the locking-plate releases it, substantially as described.

5. In combination, the casing, the lockingplate therein, the coin-freed lever connected with the locking-plate, the spring K for holdin g the locking-plate and lever normally retracted and the plug L adapted to be inserted, to press on the spring and thus to release the locking-plate, said plug having a groove to be engaged by the lockin g-plate, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES PETERS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE THOMAS HYDE, HENRY CONRAD HEICK. 

